Only two seasons removed from winning a 5A state championship, Mesa High boys basketball coach Shawn Lynch has resigned.
Lynch coached eight seasons at Mesa High, beginning with the 1998-99 season. His tenure as Jackrabbits coach produced a 147-88 record and the 2004 state championship with a 28-3 record. Mesa, led by Lee Cummard that season, knocked off Desert Vista in the state championship game.
Lynch became a team leader at Mesa High this year and is looking to take his education career to administration, Mesa district athletic director Steve Hogen said.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Westwood High is looking for a new girls basketball coach.
Sally Christensen, who has guided the program the last seven years, submitted her resignation to athletic director Thad Gates on Tuesday.
Christensen, who has piled up more than 300 wins coaching in the prep ranks in Texas and at Westwood, will continue to teach physical education at Westwood and coach girls golf.
“Sally has done an excellent job for our program since she took over,” Gates said. “It takes a lot of energy to run a program, and I think she felt she needed to step aside for someone else.”
Christensen took over the program in the 1999-2000 season. The best years were the last three when the Warriors were 17-12 (2004), 16-14 (2005) and 18-13 (2006). The Warriors advanced to the state tournament in 2004 and 2005.
